It’s true, the Axis did treacherously break their NAP with Oceania and add weight to the French attack. France, you’ll note, also had a NAP with Norway and Italy, which expired on May 10th, 1940. The declaration of war came on May 11th. France certainly cannot be accused of breaking the letter of their word, unlike the Axis.

The initial attack came – of course, where else? – from the Free City of Narragansett, that semi-autonomous city state, vassal-ally to Georgia, which has been a thorn in Norway’s side since 1670:

It must be admitted that the Ynglinga Hird was not ready. I had been building industry, not upgrading. My 1918 infantry fared badly against Georgia’s 1939. Being outnumbered say 12 to 1 on average didn’t help any, either.

Now, it may be that you’re looking at all those carriers and thinking to yourself, how is Georgia getting any supplies? The answer is a touch embarrassing: Neither I nor Varyar had researched the ‘Fleet Aux Sub’ doctrine, and consequently we could not order convoy raids – the mission wasn’t enabled for us! Thus, the second and third largest fleets in the world sat happily watching enemy supply convoys sail right on by. Heads, you may be sure, rolled.

By August, nonetheless, between gathering in the coast guards, prioritising the upgrade of my tanks, and Italian reinforcements, we were able to counterattack:

A word on Europe: I didn’t defend it. My air force consisted, at this time, of exactly one CAS bomber unit, with a range of 250km; consequently, there was no hope of even contesting the airspace above the Channel against the huge French air fleets, thus no hope of maintaining naval control of it, and France could invade wherever it liked. Knowing this, I did not waste my limited prewar land units on deploying them either to England or Norway. These areas are border marches, expendable; they have been occupied before. It is admittedly unfortunate to lose 40% of the national industry, but trying to hold untenable positions doesn’t improve anything.

The aforementioned French air force was being vastly annoying in America too, but they were vulnerable to a point failure: There was only one airbase around, in Narragansett. When we took it, the Georgian front collapsed fairly rapidly.

And, let me add, to finally take Narragansett after 300 years of trying was very satisfying.

That leaves the French. They have occupied Greenland and Iceland in addition to the British Isles, and maintain a powerful outpost on Newfoundland:

Now the lack of air bases works against us: We cannot get any fighters up there to contest the air space, and consequently our ships cannot go near the place! So, even though we now have the tech for it, convoy raiding is out. (Although I do have some subs, they are ancient coast-defense things with a range of 500 km; nowhere near enough to get into the Atlantic.) And, of course, it’s no joke to fight in Newfoundland in winter. The French are well dug in there and we’ll have a job getting them out.

Peace terms have been offered: Hand over Norwegian Europe, they say, and go in peace. In other words, give them what they currently occupy. This, after a surprise attack. After our unprepared citizenry drove off their best units. “Light we had for that lesson, but little time to learn” – but it was enough. We are Ynglings: We are not so proud that we cannot cut losses and negotiate, when necessary. But what have they to threaten us with, now? What leverage, to make us give them what they occupy, without regaining anything?

The American people are woken from their slumber; in their thousands and tens of thousands they leave farm and factory, office and home. They take up unfamiliar uniforms, new weapons, military habits; and they find that it suits them well. Are they not Ynglings? The old blood still courses in their veins; the old blood, and a new rage. Shall they leave their brothers in Europe to tyranny and oppression; shall their dead be buried in vain? No. We are too few in this country, each fallen is brother and friend. We shall not rest, we shall not sleep, until all has been avenged. France shall be destroyed, Georgia shall be destroyed; as for Finland, they shall be ground to powder.